/*
 * TransactionalObject.java    ver   24/ott/2009
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2009 mentalsmash.org
 * 
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 *
 * The use of the Apache License does not indicate that this project is
 * affiliated with the Apache Software Foundation.
 */
package org.mentalsmash.tazio.transactions.user.annotations;

import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

import org.mentalsmash.tazio.transactions.user.Transaction;

/**
 * Annotates any {@link Serializable} POJI to be treated by Tazio as an object
 * with Transactional Behaviour.
 * <p>
 * The transactional behaviour for a transactional object is enforced only for
 * properties (in the <i>JavaBeans</i> sense) that are marked with the
 * {@link PropertyGetter} and {@link PropertySetter} annotations. <br />
 * Such properties' type <strong>must</strong> be another Class annotated with
 * the <tt>TransactionalObject</tt> annotation, or properties of primitive
 * types.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * Notice that for an object to be treated transactionally you still have to
 * explicitly start and commit a {@link Transaction}
 * </p>
 * 
 * @version 0.0.1 24/ott/2009
 * @author Andrea Reale <andrea.reale@gmail.com>
 * @see PropertyGetter
 * @see PropertySetter
 */
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
public @interface Transactional {
    /**
     * An implementation of the annotated interface.
     * <p>
     * This implementation should always have a no arguments public constructor
     * </p>
     * 
     * @return An implementation of the annotated interface.
     */
    Class<?> implementation();
}
